Mount Ololokwe

Ololokwe, also called Sabachi, is the landmark of northern Kenya: a table mountain with sheer red cliffs rising around a thousand metres from the plain, visible for a very long way along the road north from Isiolo, and sacred to the Samburu, who hold ceremonies on and around it. The climb takes three to four hours up a steep path through scrub and then cycad and cedar forest to a flat summit plateau, where the ground runs out at a cliff edge with an enormous view over the Ewaso Ng'iro plains, Samburu reserve and the mountains beyond. Camping on top for sunrise is the classic way to do it. The mountain is community-owned and hikes are arranged through local guides, whose fees support the conservancy; going without one is neither permitted nor sensible.

What you actually see

• The cliff edge - the summit plateau ending in a thousand-metre drop.
• The plains view - Ewaso Ng'iro country and mountains from the top.
• Summit forest - cycads and cedar on the plateau, unexpected after the climb.
• The red cliffs - the massif seen from the road below.

When to go

The dry months for the climb; the path is slippery and the heat oppressive in the rains. Start before dawn or camp on top, since the ascent in midday sun is punishing. Nights on the summit are cold and windy.

Honest expectations

The climb is steep and hot with no water on the route, and people underestimate it. A local guide is required and worth having. There are no facilities on the mountain; camping means carrying everything including water. Travel plans in the north are best confirmed locally.

Nearby

Samburu and Buffalo Springs reserves lie south; Marsabit is far north.